Bulldog track still suffering delays

Posted
Tuesday, June 14, 2016 8:30 pm

By April Towery
sports@madisonvillemeteor.com

NORTH ZULCH — North Zulch ISD Superintendent Doug Devine acknowledged during a school board meeting last week that there have been considerable delays with construction of a new track facility but said he is hopeful it will be complete by the first part of July.

Devine, who was hired in March, said delays have been caused by rain and numerous change orders, “but that’s always the case with a project like this.”

“It’s about a year behind,” he said. “It should have been done in May of last year.”

Striping is planned for late this week at the $1.9 million facility.

“After that, the architect will do a punch list and certify substantial completion,” Devine said. “It has to be by specs. We’ll go through it with the architect and contractor.”

Board members have expressed frustration in the past with contractor Dudley Construction, but Devine did not elaborate since that occurred prior to his tenure with North Zulch.

“I think there have been some issues in the past,” he said.

Since his hire, Devine has worked closely with the Bryan-based contractor and architect Jay Boynton.

School board members will have an opportunity to walk through and inspect the track prior to signing off on it. Devine said he is confident it will be ready long before school starts in August, and at that time it will be open to the public. Track season typically starts in March, he added.

In other matters, the board:

•Heard from Elementary School Principal Frances Williams about “Camp Rock,” at which youth will be treated to trips to Austin, the Dr Pepper Museum, NASA and Little Beakers Science Lab for Kids. “Camp Rock just gets better and better every year,” said board president Charles Drake Jr.

•Set the Board of Trustees election for Nov. 8. The filing deadline is Aug. 22. Four seats are up for grabs this year.

•Discussed personnel pay scales.

•Approved the disposal of one school bus and the transfer of another to the district’s ag department for use in converting it to a truck to haul projects for their ag mechanics class.